It didn’t matter that Garry Gilliam already had been through more than most of his Penn State teammates.

He wanted another football change, needed one even.

And so he had a plan for his routine season-ending meeting with head coach Bill O’Brien, a meeting to evaluate the past and plan for the future.

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Gilliam would convince O’Brien about changing positions, even though he would be entering his fifth and what could have been his final year at Penn State.

It would be a leap of faith, so to speak. And yet one Gilliam was confident in exploring, if only because of his success conquering so much before.

Now, of all things, the senior is listed as Saturday’s season-opening starter at right tackle.

Almost, as if it was meant to be.

* * *

The first test came back in high school.

Thelma Shifflett, a single mother in Harrisburg, wanted to ensure a better life for her son. So she made the decision to enroll him in Milton Hershey, a boarding school.

Though crushed at first to be separated from his family, Gilliam eventually thrived.

He earned all-state and even All-America honors in high school as a four-year starter and played on Pennsylvania’s winning Big 33 team.

Then, only a year after arriving at Penn State, he was elevated to the starting tight end role. That would set the scene for his second test.

During a road game at Iowa, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, ending his 2010 season — and nearly much more.

The leg became infected, surgery was postponed and recovery became complicated. He was forced to miss all of the following season, as well.

He thought about giving up football.

Instead, he concentrated on his academics as well as conditioning and becoming stronger. When the knee finally did heal, O’Brien was in need of a blocking tight end.

Gilliam served that role well enough last season, though he felt there could be something better for him and his team.

He was convinced on changing positions — and pushing beyond his reach, once again.

“There was a point where I didn’t know whether I was going to play or not,” he said this week, looking back. “Switching positions, that was just another hurdle.”

First, though, came that meeting with O’Brien, who was surprised by Gilliam’s request to learn a new role at the end of his career, which included re-shaping his body.

Still, it made sense to Gilliam, especially after the NCAA granted him a rare sixth year of eligibility because of his extended injury recovery.

“We had a lot of great tight ends and my playing time wasn’t as much as I wanted it to be,” he said. “And we weren’t as deep at offensive tackle as we’d like to be.”

“I was not surprised he initiated that,” said Bob Guyer, his high school coach. “When he was with us he was always very grounded and always very team-oriented, and he’s maintained that up there through the good and the bad.”

Plus, Gilliam knew he could put on the extra weight necessary. He admitted to nearly being on a diet just to keep at his tight end playing weight of 265 pounds.

Of course, most players don’t have to pack on 40 pounds, though. Gilliam, with his massive 6-foot-6 frame, now checks in at 305 pounds.

“I told him it was crazy how he kept his quickness and speed with gaining all that weight,” said defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. “For me, if I gain just a couple of pounds I feel like I’m moving like a turtle.”

“Unselfish,” said senior linebacker Glenn Carson. “He did it for the betterment of the team.”

Plus, Gilliam plowed through yet one more setback, too, missing much of spring practice with a lower leg injury.

And yet, now look at him. Though expected to split time with Adam Gress at right tackle, Gilliam is listed as the starter heading into Saturday.

It’s all the more impressive of a result when considering everything that came before.

Gilliam acknowledged as much but spoke quietly and simply in downplaying his success, at least so far.